Cap



Dec. 18, 1934. w. J. DEEGAN CAP Filed May 8, 1934 INVENTOR v WILL/AM d. DEEGAN BY 7 MW ATTORNEYS.

Patented Dec. 18, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 4 Claims.

My invention relates to a cap, and more particularly to means for holding the same in any desired adjusted shape.

In caps in use at the present time various means are employed for holding the front portion of the cap body down onto the vizor, and means for holding the cap body in position separated from the vizor. Often glove fastener devices are employed for holding the cap body to the vizor, and when it is desired to have the cap body free of the vizor and upstanding therefrom crumpled tissue paper or the like is often positioned within the cap body.

It is the principal object of my invention to provide a cap, the body of which may be shaped as desired and held in desired shape, whether or not such desired shape be with the cap body folded down onto the vizor or upstanding therefrom.

In the drawing which shows, for illustrative purposes only, a preferred form of the invention- Flg. 1 is a view of a cap applied to the head of a wearer and showing the cap body upstanding from the vizor;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged side View of the cap shown in Fig. 1, parts being slightly differently positioned and parts being shown in section;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially in the plane of the line 3-3 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is an enlarged broken detail view of an improved stay member.

In said drawing, 5 indicates generally a cap body, preferably formed of a plurality of gores 6-6, stitched together along the seams 7-7. A vizor 8 of any desired form is secured to the front of the cap body. One or more bendable stay members are secured to the cap body, so that the same may be shaped as desired and held in such desired shape.

In the preferred form I employ a ductile stay, in the form of a wire 9. The ends are preferably formed into loops or return bends, as indicated at 10-10, so as to form a smooth, rounded end, whereby accidental protrusion or cutting through of such ends will be prevented. The wire 9, if desired, may be sheathed in a suitable covering, such as a wound covering 11, so as to avoid undue wear on the adjacent parts of the cap.

In the preferred form three stays are employed, namely, at opposite edges of the two front gores, as will be clear from Fig. 1. Such stays preferably extend along and lie generally within the seam, as will be clear from Fig. 3. If desired, the stays may be secured to the cap body,

as by stitching 12-12, at spaced apart points,

preferably at each end and in the middle. In lieu of or in addition to such securing means for the stays, I may employ a lining section 13, extending along the seam and stitched to the cap body at opposite sides of such seam, as indicated at 14-14 in Fig. 3. Such lining section, together with the adjacent portion of the cap body, forms a pocket, which houses the stay and, in addition to giving a finished appearance to the inside of the cap, serves to more or less secure the stay in place.

The complete cap may be shaped as desired by bending the stays 9-9. Such stays, as heretofore noted, are of bendable material, for example, copper wire or the like, which may be readily bent and yet which will have sufficient stiffness to maintain the cap body in the desired shape, and which will permit repeated bending Without fracture.

When it is desired to move the front portion of the cap body down onto the vizor, as caps are very often worn at the present time, it is necessary merely to give the stay members rather sharp return bends at the edge of the cap body Where the bend is desired, and the inherent stiffness or semi-rigidity of the stays will hold the cap body neatly in place. When it is desired to otherwise shape the cap body relatively to the vizor, as by raising the front portion therefrom, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 2, it is necessary merely to bend the wire to the desired shape, so as to provide the desired contour or shape of the cap.

It will thus be seen that I have provided simple, effective means for shaping the cap, which will definitely hold the same in desired shape, and without the necessity of employing fasteners or wads of paper or the like on the inside thereof.

While the invention has been described in considerable detail and a preferred form shown, it is to be noted that various modifications may be made within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A cap, comprising a vizor, a flexible body portion, and a ductile stay member extending substantially from the inner edge of the vizor radially toward the center of the cap whereby the flexible body portion and stay member may be bent to desired form and be held by said bendable stay member.

2. A cap, comprising a flexible body portion, and a ductile stay member extending substantially radially of the body on the inside thereof whereby the body and stay member may be shaped as desired and held in desired shape by said stay member.

3. A cap, comprising a flexible body portion formed of gores stitched together, and a ductile 5 stay member extending along the seam formed by said stitching whereby said stay member may be bent to desired form for holding the body portion adjacent said seam in desired shape.

A cap, comprising a body formed of a plurality of gores stitched together along generally radial lines, a lining member stitched to said gores adjacent said stitches whereby a pocket is formed between said body and lining and extending along the seam formed by said stitches, and a bendable semi-rigid stay member in said pocket.

WILLIAM J. DEEGAN. 

